El Camino Hospital’s Annual “Day of Dance” Event Promotes Fun and Fitness

Mountain View, CA - February 24, 2011 - For the second year in a row, The Women's Hospital at El Camino Hospital joins 76 Spirit of Women hospitals nationwide in hosting Day of Dance, an event designed to celebrate, educate and inspire participation in heart-healthy activities. The free event takes place Saturday, February 26, 2011, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Saint Francis High School Gymnasium in Mountain View (behind El Camino Hospital.) Kicked off with local exercise diva Joanie Greggains, Day of Dance activities include:

• Dance Demonstrations-– Participants can watch or participate in demonstrations of bollywood, square dancing, Flamenco, salsa, line dancing, zumba and more.
• Screenings –- Eight free screenings are offered for blood pressure, heart rate, BMI, waist circumference, cholesterol, glucose, cardiovascular risk assessment and a venous screening.
• Individual Consultations –- Following the screenings, participants can receive individual consultations with a cardiovascular specialist, discuss their results and schedule appointments for follow-up examinations.
• Education –- Videos, lectures and educational materials are available throughout the event.

"First and foremost, this event will be fun," said Michele van Zuiden, Executive Director of The Women’s Hospital at El Camino Hospital. "But we also want people to be aware of the risks of heart disease posed by inactivity. Women often underestimate their individual risk and even their physicians can tend to underplay it. Day of Dance provides an ideal setting to educate people, help them understand their own risks, and show them that getting in shape can actually be fun."

Dancing can burn as many calories as swimming, walking, or riding a bike (200-400 calories per hour,) and done regularly, is an excellent strategy for achieving weight maintenance or loss, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, strengthening bones and muscles and increasing energy.